In *[Star Trek V: The Final Frontier][4]*, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy enjoy some quality time together around the campfire, musing about life, death, baked beans, and rowing boats gently down streams.

![enter image description here][1]

In particular, they have the following exchange:

> **KIRK:** What are you doing?

> **SPOCK:** I am preparing to toast a **marshmelon**.

> **McCOY:** Well, I'll be damned. A marshmelon. Where did you learn to do that?

> **SPOCK:** Before leaving the ship I consulted the computer library to familiarize myself with the customs associated with 'camping out.'

> **McCOY:** Tell me, Spock. What do we do after we toast the marsh — er, melons?

> **SPOCK:** We consume them.

> **McCOY:** I know we consume them. I mean after that...

![enter image description here][2]

Unless I am wrong, "marshmelon" does not seem to be an alternate name for "marshmallow", at least not traditionally.

In contemporary times, the word does appear to exist, for instance in the form "[Marshmallon][3]" in Yu-Gi-Oh!, but these instances are strictly post-*Star Trek V*.

In the exchange, McCoy is about to say the correct term, "marshmallow", but stops himself and says "marshmelon", emulating Spock.  I am tempted to think that Spock made a genuine error — one that McCoy found funny — but Spock is not known to make errors and always chooses his words carefully.  Indeed, in the previous film, we were reminded of Spock's mental prowess and precision:

> **McCOY**: He means that he feels safer about your guesses than most other people's facts.

All of this leaves me with a question:

**Why did Spock say "marshmelon" instead of "marshmallow"?**

**Was he referencing some archaic or less common form of the word?  Is it a 23rd-Century term for it? Did he simply make an error?**


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/lq11C.jpg
  [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/KiDaF.jpg
  [3]: http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Marshmallon
  [4]: http://www.chakoteya.net/movies/movie5.html